Child's Song
by Jamimlia
Summary: a child's voice and a tale of death


DISCLAIMER: Don't own the Hunger Games, but I did write the song.

**Author's Note: **Eh, just a little something that came to me during the ending of Mockingjay. Enjoy~

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><p>Katniss watches as her daughter starts to dance in the wildflowers. It's no official dance, just twirling and laughing and singing. Katniss smiles. Her daughter has inherited the Everdeen voice. It's clear and crisp and beautiful, just like her grandfather.<p>

Her little brother squirms in his mother's arms, wanting to go play with his older sister. "Hold still a bit longer, I'm almost done." Katniss says to him as she wipes off the remains of his lunch off his face. She sets him down gently and he runs to catch up with his sister.

"Katniss." She turns to face her husband, Peeta, in the doorway.

"Hey." She says, kissing him lightly. Peeta smiles.

"I never get tired of that." He says. Katniss laughs.

Peeta turns to look at their children, dancing together in the wildflowers, growing on the grave of District 12. They're just so happy.

"Did you hear her new song?" Peeta asks. Katniss grins.

"She wrote a new one already? She's a genius." Katniss says with pride in her voice. "What's it about?"

Peeta takes her hand. "Here, let's go ask her."

They cross the backyard to confront the girl. She's stil twirling with her little brother.

"Daddy!" She shouts, running towards Peeta. He bends down and scoops her up in his arms. Her little brother runs up to them, tugging on Katniss's shirt, begging to be held too. Katniss picks him up and balances him on her hip.

"Can you sing Mommy your new song?" Peeta asks his daughter. She smiles and opens her mouth.

"_Time to play the Hunger games,  
>Every year, it's still the same,<br>One Boy, one girl are chosen,  
>Breath is still, heart is frozen,<br>__To the Capitol's eternal shame,  
><em>_Here in the Hunger Games."_

Katniss's smile disappears. She doesn't like talking about the Hunger Games with her children. Peeta's look says clearly not to interrupt. She keeps her mouth shut as her daughter sings the next verse.

"_Taken to the big city,  
><em>_Tributes are strong, fast, or witty,  
><em>_Clever, swift, and powerful,  
><em>_Each one has his own role,  
><em>_To take compliment or the blame,  
><em>_Time to play the Hunger Games."_

Where did she learn all of this? Have they been showing recordings of old Hunger Games at school? Surely not. Katniss decides to talk with the teacher the next school day.

"Okay, sweetheart, now the last verse." Peeta says. The girl's grin is huge, pleased with her parents attention.

_"The arena is close, now it's here,_

_Wounds will be fatal and severe,_

_Weapons will fly, blood will spill,_

_Tribute only know to live and kill,_

_One will survive and proclaim,_

_'I have won the Hunger Games!'"_

She smiles happily at her mother, looking for approval. Katniss forces herself to nod.

"That was very good." She says.

The girl squirms out of her father's arms and hugs her mother. "I wrote it for you and Daddy. 'Cuz you won the Hunger Games, right?" She asks.

"Right." Katniss says, not having the strength for more. She doesn't want to talk about this. She doesn't want to bring up old memories and nightmares.

Peeta notices her look and says to his daughter, "Time to go inside, sweet."

The girl instantly starts to complain. Peeta replies, "The cookies are almost ready."

"Cookies!" She says excitedly, dashing to the house. The little boy starts to squirm again.

"Cook-ee!" He repeats. Katniss sets him down on the ground to watch him follow his sister.

Peeta wraps an arm around Katniss's shoulder. "Are you alright?" He asks.

She nods. She buries her face into Peeta's chest. They will have to tell them both everything. About Rue and Cato, About Finnick and Mags, About the rebellion and how they won freedom they enjoy today.

"Katniss?" Peeta asks. Katniss looks up at her husband, the boy with bread she almost lost.

"Frankly, I think winning the Games was easier than raising these two." She says.

Peeta laughs. "You're right. Let's go back and see what trouble they're up to now."

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><p><p>

**Author's Note: **Yeah, just a little something. It's kinda hard to write Katniss as a mother, since she's such a killing machine. xD

Anyway, thanks for reading! Please review!~~

(This way)

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